Multi-Section Substrate Supports for Uniform Semiconductor Film Growth
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor substrates experience non-uniform temperatures and shadowing effects during processing, leading to non-uniform film growth and limited adjustability of thermal parameters, especially in complex deposition operations.
Innovation Solution
A multi-section substrate support with concentric pieces and independently controllable heating zones, utilizing opaque materials and multiple heat sources to achieve uniform temperature control and thermal zonal adjustability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single substrate support is used during processing, then the device structure is simple, but non-uniform temperatures and shadowing effects occur leading to non-uniform film growth
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate support is divided into multiple concentric sections (inner section, middle section, outer section) that can be independently heated. Each section has its own heating zone and controllable heat source, allowing independent temperature control to eliminate shadowing effects and achieve uniform film growth across the substrate surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the substrate support are assigned different heating characteristics and temperature control parameters. The inner, middle, and outer sections can be heated to different temperatures based on their specific requirements, enabling localized optimization of film growth conditions and eliminating non-uniformities caused by shadowing from chamber components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat sources are used for zonal control, then thermal adjustability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple independent heating zones corresponding to the inner, middle, and outer sections of the substrate support. Each zone has its own controllable heat source, enabling independent thermal adjustment of different regions to achieve precise zonal control while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system is made dynamically controllable with each heat source being independently adjustable in real-time. This allows flexible adaptation of thermal parameters for different processing requirements, enabling precise control over temperature distribution across the substrate without requiring a complex fixed-configuration system.
3Speed
If conventional heating is used, then the heating structure is simple, but quick and efficient heating with uniform temperature is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple concentrated heating zones that can simultaneously heat different sections of the substrate support. This segmented approach enables faster overall heating by distributing thermal energy across multiple zones rather than relying on a single heat source, while maintaining uniform temperature distribution through independent control of each zone.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple heat sources are combined in a coordinated manner to work simultaneously on different sections of the substrate support. This merging of heating functions enables rapid and uniform heating of the entire substrate area while maintaining simple control through integrated temperature management of the combined heating zones.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances uniform film growth and improves thermal control across the substrate, addressing non-uniformity and shadowing issues, thereby optimizing deposition processes.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of heat sources arranged into a plurality of concentric heating zones
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to multi-section substrate supports, and related process kits, processing chambers, components, and methods for semiconductor manufacturing. In one or more embodiments, a processing chamber includes a substrate support having a plurality of concentric pieces including a first piece having an outer diameter, and a second piece disposed radially outwardly of the first piece. The second piece includes a first outer section that is annular in shape. The processing chamber further includes a plurality of heat sources arranged into a plurality of concentric heating zones. The heating zones include a first heating zone aligned with the first piece, the first heating zone including a first heat source, and a second heating zone aligned with the second piece. The second heating zone includes a second heat source, and the first heat source and the second heat source are independently controllable.